US2542588A - Sand dispenser - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 20, 1951 B. s. sNow 2,542,588

SAND DISPENSER Filed Sept. l, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mrvge g5 Feb. zo, 1951 B, s, 'SNOW .2,542,588

SAND DISPENSER Y Filedsept. 1, 1944 l '2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Feb. 20,v 1951 UNITEDSTATES vPri-'rENTy OFFICE Barton vS.I Snow,v Batavia-Ill., ass'ignor to T'. W. Snow Construction Company, a corporation of Illinois Application September 1, 1944, Serial No. 552,229

claims. (c1. 22a-181i This invention relates to apparatus for filling vide a strong and rugged device for storing a quantity of sand and enabling it to be transported by gravity from the vstorage tank intoI sand pockets, which usually have small inlet doors on the sides of a streamlined locomotive.

A further Object of the invention is to provide an improved swivel joint' through which sand may be conducted without danger of sand getting into the working parts of the joint.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawing in which- Figure l is a vertical sectional view of apparatus embodying the invention; Fig. 2, a plan view of the same; Fig. 3,'a front elevational view of the apparatus; Fig. 4, a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the swivel joint at the bottom of the storage tank; and Fig. 5, a fragmentary sectional view of the latching device to prevent the spout from turning except when released.

In the embodiment illustrated, a steel frame 6 is rigidly mounted on a suitable foundation 6a, and is provided at its upper end with a storage tank l, having at its top a baille box 8 of known construction. If desired, a centrally disposed inlet pipe 9 can be provided, and the tank filled by blowing the sand therethrough.

The discharge spout III may be provided at its l upper end with an outwardly extending flange il, which ts into a flanged circular seat I2, which is secured to the bottom of the tank 1 by mans of bolts I3. A guard member I4 is rigidly secured to the bottom of the tank by the bolts I3, and has an aperture surrounded by a skirt I5, which extends downwardly into the spout. The skirt prevents sand from working up into the moving surfaces of the joint and causing wear and interference with operation. 'I'he spout is braced by a horizontal strut I6 which abuts against an upright member I'I, which supports the upper elbow portion of the spout and is journalled at its lower end in a bracket I8, which is mounted on a main frame 6. The upright I'I is provided at its lower end with a bearing plate I9, havingseveral apertures which may be engaged by a plunger 2|, which is urged upwardly into locking engagement by means of a compression spring 22 bearing against a cross pin 23. The spring is enclosed by a suitable housing 2li secured to the bracket I8, and the lower end of the plunger is provided with a ring 25, to which Val suitable cord 26 may be attached. Thus it will b e understood that when the deviceis not in use, the spout may be swung to either side of the frame and latched in a position where it will not interfere with the operation of trains, or be accidentally blown by the wind into a position over the track.

The lower end of the-spout I0 is provided with another swivel joint 2l,.whose internal construction is substantially the same as that of the swivel joint at the tank. A flanged elbow member 28 connects a manually operable sand valve 29 inv communication with the spout I0. The valve is provided withv an operating lever 3B, to which is connected a cord 3I. The lower end of the valve 279 is provided with a downwardly exi tending nipple 32, to which is connected a flexible hose 33, which may be dropped over either side ofa locomotive to communicate with side pockets indicated diagrammatically at 34.

It is important that the hose 33 is of a proper V length so that the sand will flow downwardly at ansteep grade.Y It isi difficult to stop a locomotive at all exact, point buiige. ewivelioint 2.1 venables the nipple 32 to be positioned over the center of a locomotive at a number of different positions, some of which are indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

y'Ihe foregoing detailed description is given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, for some modications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a railway sand dispenser for readily distributing sand from a storage tank to any one of a plurality of spaced apart places of deposit, an elevated sand storage tank having an opening in its bottom, a frame for supporting said tank, a pair of apertured plates xed to the bottom of the tank with the apertures of the plates in registry with the opening in the tank bottom, one of said plates having an annular shouldered opening forming an enlargement of the aperture of this plate, a downwardly inclined tubular rigid spout having on its upper end an outwardly extending annular flange seated in'said annular shouldered opening for rotation therein, a guard member plate clamped between said pair of apertured plates and having a central opening of smaller diameter than the apertures of said pair of plates, the marginal edges of the guard member around its opening being bent downwardly and fitting snugly around the inner upper edge of the rigid spout to prevent access of sand to the spout flange as it rotates in the annular shouldered opening, and a valve-controlled flexible tube at the lower end of the spout for conducting the sand to desired locations.

2. In a railway sand dispenser for readily distributing sand from a storage tank to any one of a plurality of spaced apart places of deposit, an elevated sand storage tank having an opening in its bottom, a pair of plates fixed to the bottom of said tank and having openings registering with the opening in the tank bottom, a downwardly inclined tubular rigid spout having its upper end mounted between said plates for swinging in a horizontal arc, a guard-member plate clamped between said plates and having an opening of smaller diameter than that of the openings in the plates, the marginal edges of the guard member around its opening being curved downwardly to snugly t around the inner edge of the upper end of the spout to prevent access of sand to the space between said plates.

3. A railway sand dispenser as claimed in claim 2, including a frame for supporting said tank, a bracket extending laterally from said frame and fixed thereto, a brace member iixed to the spout and having a horizontal and a vertical member, the horizontal member being xed to the vertical member at the bracket and jointly rotatable on the bracket whereby the spout may be swung in a horizontal arc eccentrically o the tank, releasable locking means on said bracket having a spring pressed vertical movable pin, the juncture of the horizontal and vertical members of the brace member having a horizontal plate swingably slidable on the bracket and formed with apertures for selectively receiving said pin, whereby the spout may be locked in various positions in said horizontal arc.

4. A railway sand dispenser comprising: a main frame provided with a storage tank for sand; an outwardly extending bracket xed to said frame beneath said tank providing a bearing; an inclined rigid tubular spout communicating with the interior of the tank and swivelly connected to the bottom of said tank, said spout having a supporting brace journalled in said bearing; latching means on said bracket and vertically movable for preventing turning of said spout; a manually controlled valve member communieating with the lower end of said spout, and a depending iiexible hose from said valve member; a metallic guard member in the upper end of said spout for preventing access of sand to the swivel connection of the spout with the tank; and a horizontal plate on the bottom of said supporting brace rotatably slidable on the bracket and coacting with said latching means.

5. In a railway sand dispenser for readily dispensing sand from a storage tank to any one of a plurality of spaced apart places of deposit, a frame, a sand storage tank on said frame, a supporting member secured to the bottom of said tank, and having an upper annulus and a detachable lower annulus alording a hollow circular flanged seat, a tubular spout member provided with an outwardly extending flange to fit into said seat, a fixed guard member having a flange gripped between the upper annulus and the lower annulus and having a tubular socket extending into' said spout, and a flexible hose swivelly connected to the lower end of the spout member for distributing sand to selective places.

BARTON S. SNOW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

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